A wide range of bras have been produced that aim to provide a basic level of support and to achieve aesthetic outcomes in relation to shape and the appearance of the bra itself. In a typical fabric bra uplift and shaping is provided through two key structural aspects; a harness or frame which provides location of the bra on the hard tissue of the torso relative to the shoulder line and breast line and a pair of fabric cups attached to the frame that individually encapsulate the soft tissue of each breast. Further positioning and shaping of each breast can be provided through the use of an underwire within the frame of the bra.
With a traditional fabric bra, support is provided by re-positioning the breast relative to the body of the wearer and influencing the shape of the breast through the application of a flexible boundary in the form of a fabric cup.
Positioning of the breast above its natural position is termed uplift. With a traditional fabric bra uplift is often achieved by tensioning the shoulder strap of the bra, such that the cup is drawn upwards and the breast is compressed into the body. An alternative method to achieve upward displacement of the breast is to provide inserts in the lower portion of the bra cup.
When uplift is achieved by shortening of the shoulder strap, tension is transferred to the bra cup to reduce the degree of overlap of the lower breast tissue over the torso of the wearer below the breasts.
With a traditional fabric bra the resulting shape of the breast, being one of the fundamental aesthetic outcomes, is a function of a number of variables: volume of the breast, the degree of tension in the cup to achieve desired uplift, the shape and construction of the flexible fabric cup, the design of the bra harness or frame. As the optimum position of the breast is particular to an individual it is intuitive that the degree of uplift and resulting shape may be different for each individual wearer of a particular bra. This issue contributes to significant challenges of ‘fit’ and sizing in the industry together with implications for wearer comfort.
Typical fabric bra cups are thermally moulded into a near-hemispherical shape during manufacture. This shape does not provide inherent uplift when the bra is being worn and additional adjustment, through tensioning of the shoulder straps is required. Tensioning of the shoulder straps can cause discomfort and longer-term issues.
A bra of a common configuration is for example shown in FIG. 1a. It is shown in a lay flat condition. The bra consists of two breast cups. Extending from each breast cup is a chest band. Over the shoulder straps extend between each cup and a respective chest band.
In the lay flat condition this common form of bra has its chest bands projecting from each breast cup, at an angle to each other. When such a bra is worn, the chest bands are lifted (in a direction shown by the arrows) so that the chest bands extend substantially in a horizontal plane about the body of a wearer.
Uplift of the bra may be desired to change the visual appearance of the breasts. In addition to carrying a load relating to pulling up of the chest bands, the shoulder straps may carry additional loading to uplift the bra. This may increase the undesired loading on the shoulders of a wearer and dependent on the nature of the bra, a tightening of the shoulder straps to create uplift may not always work. Furthermore, whilst a tightening of the shoulder straps may create uplift, it may also result in other adverse effects.
With reference to FIG. 1b there is shown a front view of part of a bikini top. There is shown two breast cups of a substantially triangular plan shape. FIG. 1b illustrates on the right hand cup, a force F being applied by the shoulder strap to the cup. In cross section the cup, when worn, may have a shape as shown in the right hand cross section shown in FIG. 1b. Should a person wish to increase cleavage, the shoulder straps may be tightened. On the left hand side a tightened shoulder strap is shown wherein the force applied by the shoulder strap is higher than the force on the right hand side. The corresponding cross section shows the cup is much flatter as a result. Whilst it may create cleavage, this also increases the pressure on the shoulders. This may also create undesired cup shaping or breast shaping.
An increase in the shoulder strap force is also likely to result in lifting of the bra which may result in the bra riding up to an extent that is undesirable.
In these prior art forms of bra, each breast is individually controlled for shape by each breast cup separately, this means that shaping and sizing of each breast cup needs to be accurate to a specific person's breast size in order to provide comfortable support and uplift. But a bra is not always the perfect shape and size for a person, unless it's a custom made bra and hence the prior art forms of bra do not provide a great deal of forgiveness where an incorrect bra size or shape is being worn.
Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide a bra that addresses the abovementioned disadvantages or that will at least provide the public with a useful choice.